


Her Worst Nightmare

by MtMCL



Category: Grace and Frankie (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-06 05:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12810930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MtMCL/pseuds/MtMCL
Summary: Groundhog Day au. Angst Warning.





	Her Worst Nightmare

Grace's eyes fluttered as streams of sun crept through her window. She felt a bit miserable. Maybe if she didn't have those few extra drinks last night. Just maybe there wouldn't have been this dull throbbing in her head on such a fine Sunday morning but nonetheless Grace smiled as she sat up and stretched. She couldn't help but to smile. This small headache was probably going to be the worst part of her day. A cup of coffee should fix it right up. Then all would be smooth sailing. 

 

As she made her way to the bathroom to wash up and get dressed Grace considered everything laid out for her today. Checking her emails and then packaging shipments for Vybrant with Frankie. Then they'd probably end the day on the porch sharing a blunt. 

 

If someone told her, perhaps even a year ago that she, Grace Hanson at the age of 73 would be enjoying her Sundays working alongside one Frances Bergstein. One Frances Bergstein that she is in business with and that business being assisting other senior citizens achieve more pleasure. Grace Hanson probably would have checked to see if that person had slipped something into her drink. It's a ridiculous thought and a bit of a ridiculous reality but she's happy. The happiest she remembers being for a very long time. As Grace pulled out a few Vybrant boxes to pack and label she chuckled to herself a bit thinking about it. Well she's mostly thinking about Frankie and how their newfound dynamic has brought so much joy to her days. 

 

She thought about what it was going to feel like this morning once Frankie emerged from the studio and joined her in their home. She thought about how the first thing she'd probably do is reach into the freezer and pull out that bag of tater tots. God, she wished frankie would stop eating those. She felt Frankie's presence before she spotted her in the corner of her eye. She waited patiently for Frankie to get a good hold of the door knob and finally open it, waited to hear that delightful voice chirp. 

 

“I need to borrow your George Foreman grill.”

 

Well, that's not what she was expected, but one should expect the unexpected when one lives with Frankie. 

 

“I don't have a George Forman grill.” 

 

“Oh well, whosever it’s for, I'm taking it by Jacob’s.”

Grace felt her body become rigid, her smile completely gone. Jacob. How does he always manage to spoil her mood? He was a nice enough guy but why does he always get into the middle of Grace and Frankie stuff? 

It was downright infuriating but she hoped Frankie didn't read into any of that anger towards him when she looked up to let their eyes meet. 

 

“You’re taking it right now?  Frankie are you serious? Do you not see all of these boxes we have to get out to the distributor today?”

 

“Well I can't do it today? Jacob and I have important things to talk about.”

Grace was a bit to frustrated to hear the rest of Frankie’s response, maybe more than a bit. How could she even think to leave Grace alone here to do all the heavy lifting? She doesn’t hear her response to Frankie either but she does hear this line.

 

“I keep thinking about people wanting the thing they can't have. Like the McRib!” and Grace huffed at that. What a silly notion, becoming fixated on something you can’t have. There were so many things Grace had wanted and dreamt of but she learnt to live with good enough. Why couldn’t everyone else do the same?  And had Frankie seriously just compare a person’s desires and happiness to that disgusting fake meat McDonald's presses between a badly misshapen bun? 

 

Grace dismissed the whole idea and insisted that they get their work done  _ today.  _ They invite the guys over to help with the packing because it really is too much for the two of them. Grace gives them clear instructions. Robert retreats to the back porch to pack with Frankie while she and Sol work at the table.

 

This was far from anything she had ever imagined for her future. Grace was packing vibrators for shipping seated across from her ex husbands now husband and she was enjoying it. She’s comfortable enough here to talk to Sol even the slightest about her love life. To which she tells him she's happy. She has the business and she has Frankie. It’s enough, it’s all she needs.

 

Then the phone rang. Grace picked it up and propped it up with her shoulder as she continued her packing and labeling. It was their lawyer, Cheryl. A bit of a shock getting a call from her on a Sunday, but what was more shocking was what Cheryl had to tell her.

 

“What!” Grace yelled into the receiver, no doubt making Cheryl’s ear ring. “Frankie get in here!” She called toward the back door. Frankie and Robert eventually stumbled back into the room and before either of them have a chance to question the sudden uproar from Grace she yelled again.

 

“Our vibrator’s been stolen.”

Everyone else in the room looked at each a bit stunned. Grace placed the phone on the table as she nervously paced the floor. She ran her hands over her hair as she went and explained further the situation of the much larger company stealing their idea. 

“This is bad Frankie. Really bad! We might have to sue them.”

 

Robert protested instantly.

“Oh no, you don’t want to do that. That company has a lot of money. They have lawyers for their lawyers.”

 

“He’s right!” Sol agreed. “You might end up being tied up in court for years.” 

 

“Will I have to be here for that?” As Grace made eye contact with Frankie’s she could tell that the other woman wished she could take those words back instantly. 

 

“Why wouldn't you be?”

Frankie and Robert shared a long silent look. 

“What is it? What's that look? What aren't you telling me Frankie?” Grace asked frantically. 

 

Frankie fessed up. She told Grace everything about Santa Fe and it was  like a blow to the chest. Grace wonders what she did to piss the heavens so royally off. Just a soon as she speaks out loud about what makes her happy it's taken away from her. One hit right after the other and Grace couldn't take it. She needed space to recover. She needs to get out of this house, right now. 

 

She doesn't address anything Frankie said. Instead she turns back to the phone she placed on the table and puts it to her ear. 

“Cheryl are you still there?”, and by some miracle she is. “Is it alright if I come over? I'd like to talk about this more with you. Great.” 

 

She hung up the phone and placed it back on the table. 

 

“No Grace! We have to talk about  _ this _ .” Frankie said gesturing back and forth between them. 

 

Grace pushed past Frankie once again not responding to her. She picked up her keys at the front door and makes her way to her car. 

 

“Grace wait!” Frankie called out as she rushed out the door behind Grace. “Wherever you go, I go.”

 

Grace laughed. A deep throated laugh. The way it chilled Frankie is evident on her face and she stopped in her tracks. 

 

“Yeah right.” Grace finally says after her long cold laugh. “Let's see how long that'll last now.”

 

Grace is able to make a few silent struts toward her car before Frankie screams at her. “He's after you!”

The call made her panic and Grace dropped her keys into the gutter. 

 

With her second pair of keys settled with the her first pair Grace had no choice but to let Frankie drive her to Cheryl’s. They sat in silence for much longer than Frankie could take, so she poked. 

 

“Grace please talk to me. I have to unpack this with someone.”

 

“Well why does it have to be me?” 

 

“Because I want you to be who I talk to about this.”

 

“If I tell you to leave you'll think I don't care, if I tell you to stay you'll be upset at me from keeping you from your dreams it's a lose/lose Frankie.”

 

“But Grac-” 

 

“Can we just drop it. Let's just drive, no talking.”

 

Frankie chose to instead to turn on her tape of inspirational dialog made by herself. To which Grace groaned. 

“When I said no talking I didn't expect you to put that on.”

 

“Sometimes life sends you a lovely surprise.”

 

“I think I've had enough ‘lovely’ surprises today. 

 

“You so obviously want to talk about this. So let's talk.”

 

“Frankie, there's nothing to talk about until you and your boyfriend decide what to do.”

 

“This is really hard for me, I don't know if I can make a decision. There are so many things for me in Santa Fe. I want to fly, I want to sore. I want to do a lot of things but you're important to me too Grace.” Which got response from Grace.

 

“We'll talk about this in the morning?” Frankie asked eagerly still receiving no response. 

 

Grace, stared out of the window, trying to direct her attention as far away from Frankie as possible. She watched as they drove up to a stop light and awaited it to turn green. When the light had finally turned Grace rolled her eyes as Frankie made no attempt to pass the light. No doubt another protest of hers. 

 

“Frankie, Go!”

She only received the same silence treatment she gave Frankie just moments earlier. 

 

“Frankie, I can't deal with this right now. I need to focus on saving our business, or is it my business now?”

Nothing still. 

 

“Frankie, just go!” Grace practically as she turned to face Frankie. Then she sees the water in Frankie's eyes and the horror on her face. Grace's heart drops then hips back up into her throat. 

 

“Frankie. Frankie!” she shakes Frankie's shoulder but it doesn't help to get any of her words out. Grace can feel the fear coming from the both of them. She can feel it filling the car and shes started to feel suffocated. “Frankie!” she called out one last time before everything turned black.

 

When Grace opened her eyes again  she was in her bed. Her face was wet from sweat or tears, she isn't sure which. Her head was throbbing and she had to take a few minutes to level her breathing. Did someone take her home? What happened? She quickly got up through on her robe, slipped on her slippers and made her way towards the studio. 

 

She didn't knock, she decided to just peep through the window. Grace breathes a sign of relief as she realized.

  
“It was only a dream.”


End file.
